Device for conveying the cooling and lubricating fluid in multi-stand rolling mills for the production of metal bars and wire

ABSTRACT

A device for conveying the cooling and lubricating fluid in multi-stand rolling mills for the production of metal bars and wire, comprising support means formed with a groove extending along a cylindrical surface having its axis parallel to the direction of movement of the workpiece being rolled and with an aperture tangential to the groove for the introduction of a band element slidably arranged in the support means.

United States Patent [191 Properzi 5] Apr. 23, 1974 DEVICE FOR CONVEYINGTHE COOLING AND LUBRICATING FLUID IN MULTI-STAND ROLLING MILLS FOR THEPRODUCTION OF METAL BARS AND WIRE [76] Inventor: Ilario Properzi, ViaPietro Cossa,

Milan, Italy 20122 [22] Filed: Oct. 2, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 294,406

[30l Foreign Application Priority Data Nov, 17, 1971 Italy ..312 36/71[52] U.S. Cl 72/43, 72/201, 72/236 [51] Int. Cl B2lb 45/02, B21b 27/06[58] Field of Search 72/41, 43, 44, 45, 200,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 583,738 6/1897 Fawell 72/236499,431 6/1893 Judd ..'.Q 72/236 986,176 3/1911 Judd 72/236 2,033,0463/1936 Montgomery. 72/201 3,192,757 7/ 1965 Diolot 72/236 3,389,5906/1968 Diolot 72/201 3,552,164 1/1971 Properzi.. 72/45 3,646,790 3/1972Properzi.. 72/43 3,668,911 6/1972 Properzi 72/43 PrimaryExaminer--Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-E. M. Combs Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Guido Modiano, Dr.; Albert Josif, Dr.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A device for conveying the cooling and lubricating fluidin multi-stand rolling mills for the production of metal bars and wire,comprising support means formed with a groove extending along acylindrical surface having its axis parallel to the direction ofmovement of the workpiece being rolled and with an aperture tangentialto the groove for the introduction of a band element slidably arrangedin the support means.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to a device for conveying the cooling and lubricatingfluid in multi-stand rolling mills for the production of metal bars andwire in general.

Metal bars and wire are produced by passing the bar or wire successivelythrough rolls arranged in rolling stands disposed at a small distanceapart, so that the element being rolled has to travel for at least acertain distance external to the stands. This fact negatively influencesthe product obtained in that contact with air could give rise tooxidation phenomena and deformation of the element rolled, because inthis open zone the effect of the cooling fluid is practically absent.

Attempts have been made to resolve this problem, on the one handreducing as far as possible the distance between one stand and the other(the stands are distinct and separated one from the other also forreasons of replacement, repair etc.) and on the other hand bysurrounding the element being rolled in this zone with a jet of coolingfluid, so as to prevent its contact with the outside air. In neithermanner is this problem resolved satisfactorily, and even with the jet ofcooling fluid all around the element being rolled there is notsufficient guarantee of complete and lasting protection.

A further solution consists of arranging between one stand and another aremovable tank, in which the cooling liquid is held, so that the bar orwire being rolled passes practically completely immersed in the liquid.This solution gives good results but does not completely eliminate thepossibility of oxidation because it: is easy for turbulence to becreated by the high temperature of the element being rolled in such amanner as to form passages for the outside air, which is thus able toreach the element being rolled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is toprovide a device for conveying cooling and lubricating fluid inmulti-stand rolling mills for metal bars or wire in general, whichcompletely eliminates any possibility of oxidation of the element beingrolled and keeps this element constantly in contact with the cooling andlubricating fluid at the required pressure conditions, so as to improvethe quality of the product obtained.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of theaforementioned type, which may be easily removed in such a manner as tobe able to easily ex tract the various stands for the purposes ofcleaning, repair, replacement of component parts etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of extremelyconvenient construction, and easy application even to existing rollingstands, without requiring complicated and costly fixing operations.

These objects are attained by a device of the aforementioned type,comprising support means fixable to the facing walls of two adjacentrolling stands and a band element slideable in said support means anddefining a tank for containing the cooling and lubricating liquid, andcharacterised in that said support means each comprise at least onegroove extending along a substantially cylindrical surface with its axissubstantially parallel to the direction of movement of the element beingrolled, and an aperture substantially tangential to said groove for theintroduction of said band element, said band element being slideable insaid groove to the extend of defining a closed space entirely about theelement being rolled between one stand and the next, the radius ofcurvature of said grooves being substantially greater than one half themaximum transverse dimension of the element being rolled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will better appear fromthe detailed description given hereinafter of a preferred embodiment ofthe device according to the invention, illustrated by way ofnon-limiting example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the section between the two stands and thedevice fixed there;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a detail of FIG. 1 ofthe device according to the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a partial lateral view of the support means for the bandelement of the device according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows two adjacentrolling stands 1, between which is disposed a device according to theinvention, generally inidicated by the reference numeral 2. The tworolls are indicated by the reference numeral 3. The element to be rolledenters from 4 in the direction shown by the arrow and passes through anexit guide 5 fixed to the body of the stand 1 by screws 6. External tothe guide 5 there is mounted an annular element 7 provided with internalchannels for feeding a jet of cooling and lubricating fluid through theannular slot 8. The fluid arrives at the slot through a duct 9 formed inthe body of stand I. The slot extends advantageously in such a manner asto create a jet approximately tangential to the direction of forwardmovement of the element being rolled.

The stand 1 successive to that considered is provided with an entryguide 10, preceded by a pair of rollers 11 of horizontal axes, whichhelp the-movement of the element being rolled from one stand to theother. The rollers are rotatably mounted in a support body 12,comprising channels 13 for a cooling and lubricating fluid, and fixed tothe body of the frame 1 by screws 14. The fluid reaches the pair ofrollers 11 through the channels 13.

The guides 5 and 10 are suitably connected at their initial and endsections to facilitate entry and exit of the element to be rolled.Gaskets 15 are provided for the seal between the element 7 and the bodyof the frame 1.

The device 2 according to the invention is applied between the facingwalls of the two adjacent stands considered, and comprises a bandelement 16 consisting of an element of sufficiently flexible sheetmetal, which is insertable into a groove 17 defined by two supportflanges 18 fixable to the facing walls of the two stands 1. Inparticular the two flanges are formed from two elements 19 and 20,respectively, of approximately equal cross-section, each composed of anannular flat section 21 and a projecting rim 22. The two flanges are ofdifferent diameter and the two rims 22 are disposed on the radiallyinternal and radially external sides of the flanges respectively. Asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flanges are mounted with their flat annularsections 21 in mating engagement and the rims 22 extending opposite toone another. ln the example shown the flat section 21 of flange 19 has aradial extent which is smaller than that of the flat section 21 offlange 20, thus defining with the rim 22 of flange the annular groove 17entirely about the element being rolled passing between the stands. Thetwo flange elements are fixed to gether and to the stands 1 by screws 23provided at a number of points along their circumference.

At its upper section the external flange 20 has a notch 24 in its part22 which extends substantially tangential to the groove 17, said notchhaving a height a" slightly greater than that of the groove 17. Thisnotch 24 serves for the introduction of the band element 16 into thegroove 17.

Advantageously the notch is provided slightly below the line of tangencywith the groove by a distance b, on the one hand for constructionalreasons and on the other in order to facilitate the introduction of theband element and ensure a good seal after the band element has beencompletely inserted, and its initial end, having made a complete turn,is disposed under the already inserted section and follows its path fora certain distance.

The thickness of the band element 16 is slightly less than that of thegroove 17, whereas its width is practically equal to the distancebetween the bases of the grooves 17 formed by the flange elements 18once they are mounted on the stands.

The diameter of the flanges is advantageously greater than the maximumtransverse dimension of the rolled element and also depends on thedegree of flexibility of the band element 16, in addition to otherfactors listed below.

With the device according to the invention a completely closed chamberis formed between one stand and another for the cooling and lubricatingliquid, so that any possibility of contact with the external air anddanger of oxidation of the element being rolled is eliminated. It isadvantageous to choose the diameters of the flanges such that above theelement being rolled there is a considerable quantity of cooling andlubricating fluid, so that it exerts a certain pressure on the elementbeing rolled. Moreover this pressure may be considerably increasedprecisely by the presence of a closed chamber, and may thus practicallyequal that inside the stands for the entire rolling train ifa devicesuch as that described is disposed between all stands present. Thegreater pressure, which is constant along the entire path. enables abetter product to be obtained from all aspects, and mainly with regardto its surface appearance, which is known to depend mainly on thecooling conditions to which it is subjected during its formation.

The device according to the invention is moreover easily assembled, itbeing necessary only to fix the flanges l8 and introduce the bandelement 16 into the groove 17 until it makes one complete turn. Tofacilitate extraction, gripping means may be disposed on the end of theband element 16, for example a ring may be welded to it in a planeorthogonal to that of the element. This ease of assembly and disassemblyhence enables the rapid removal of the stands for the reasons initiallymentioned.

The structure of the device is such as to make its application possiblealso to already existing rolling stands.

The movement of the element being rolled and the presence of the coolingand lubricating fluid flowing out from the slot 8 lead to the continuousmovement and exchange of the fluid present in the chamber enclosed bythe band element 16.

The invention is susceptible to modifications all of which fall withinthe scope of the inventive idea. For example the support flanges 18 mayconsist of a single element provided with a corresponding groove for theband element 16.

I claim:

1. In a device for conveying the cooling and lubricating fluid in amulti-stand rolling mill for the production of metal bars and wire ingeneral, comprising support means fixable to the facing walls of twoadjacent rolling stands and a band element slideable in said supportmeans and defining a tank for containing the cooling and lubricatingliquid, the improvement wherein the said support means each comprises atleast one groove extending along a substantially cylindrical surfacewith its axis substantially parallel to the direction of movement of theelement being rolled, and an aperture substantially tangential to saidgroove for the introduction of said band element into said supportmeans, said band element being slideable in said groove to the extent ofdefining a closed space entirely about the element being rolled betweenone stand and the next, the radius of curvature of said grooves beingsubstantially greater than one half the maximum transverse dimension ofthe element being rolled.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support means consist oftwo flange elements each having a substantially flat annular section anda rim projecting from said substantially flat annular section, saidflange elements having different diameters and being mounted with theirflat annular sections in mating engagement and the rims extendingopposite to one another, the radial extent of said flat annular sectionof one of said flange elements being smaller than the radial extent ofthe flat annular section of the other of said flange elements, therebyto define said band receiving groove between said flat annular sectionhaving the smaller radial extent and the rim of the other flangeelement.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said projecting rim of theflange element having the greater diameter has a notch having a heightat least equal to that of said groove and extending tangentially to saidgroove for the introduction of said band element into said groove.

1. In a device for conveying the cooling and lubricating fluid in amulti-stand rolling mill for the production of metal bars and wire ingeneral, comprising support means fixable to the facing walls of twoadjacent rolling stands and a band element slideable in said supportmeans and defining a tank for containing the cooling and lubricatinglIquid, the improvement wherein the said support means each comprises atleast one groove extending along a substantially cylindrical surfacewith its axis substantially parallel to the direction of movement of theelement being rolled, and an aperture substantially tangential to saidgroove for the introduction of said band element into said supportmeans, said band element being slideable in said groove to the extent ofdefining a closed space entirely about the element being rolled betweenone stand and the next, the radius of curvature of said grooves beingsubstantially greater than one half the maximum transverse dimension ofthe element being rolled.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid support means consist of two flange elements each having asubstantially flat annular section and a rim projecting from saidsubstantially flat annular section, said flange elements havingdifferent diameters and being mounted with their flat annular sectionsin mating engagement and the rims extending opposite to one another, theradial extent of said flat annular section of one of said flangeelements being smaller than the radial extent of the flat annularsection of the other of said flange elements, thereby to define saidband receiving groove between said flat annular section having thesmaller radial extent and the rim of the other flange element.
 3. Adevice as claimed in claim 2 wherein said projecting rim of the flangeelement having the greater diameter has a notch having a height at leastequal to that of said groove and extending tangentially to said groovefor the introduction of said band element into said groove.